Punjab reports 244 new dengue fever cases, one death

LAHORE: Punjab has reported 244 new cases of the mosquito-borne dengue virus disease and one death in the last 24 hours period, ARY News reported on Monday.

According to Provincial health secretary, Imran Sikandar Baloch fresh 186 cases surfaced in Lahore, during the last 24 hours.

In Punjab so far 18,479 dengue hemorrhagic fever cases have been reported in the current season, health secretary shared. Lahore, provincial capital city has reported 13,812 cases of dengue fever.

The viral disease has claimed 69 lives in Punjab in this season, said the secretary. Recent death caused by dengue was also reported from Lahore.

Currently 2,143 patients of dengue fever have been admitted at hospitals in Punjab, 1,511 of them in Lahore, according to the health secretary.

An upsurge of dengue hemorrhagic fever cases has also been reported in federal capital Islamabad and other parts of the country in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

Dengue fever, is a mosquito-borne infection that can lead to a severe flu-like illness. It is caused by four different viruses and spread by Aedes mosquitoes.

Symptoms range from mild to severe. Severe symptoms include dengue shock syndrome (DSS) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). These usually require hospitalization.

There are currently no vaccines. The best method of prevention is to avoid mosquito bites. Treatment is possible if diagnosis occurs before the patient develops severe symptoms.